Russian mercenary boss says Moscow's war in Ukraine based on lies

[toomuchtime_]

FILE PHOTO: Funeral held in Moscow for Russian military blogger killed in cafe blast© Thomson Reuters
By Andrew Osborn
LONDON (Reuters) - Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Friday that the official Kremlin-backed version of why Moscow invaded Ukraine was based on lies concocted by his perennial adversary - the army's top brass.

Prigozhin has for months been accusing Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov, of rank incompetence, but on Friday he for the first time rejected Russia's core justifications for invading Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year in what it calls a "special military operation".

"... the Defence Ministry is trying to deceive society and the president and tell us a story about how there was crazy aggression from Ukraine and that they were planning to attack us with the whole of NATO," Prigozhin said in a video clip released on Telegram by his press service, calling the official version "a beautiful story".

"The special operation was started for different reasons," he said. "The war was needed ... so that Shoigu could become a marshal ... so that he could get a second 'Hero' [of Russia] medal. The war wasn't needed to demilitarise or denazify Ukraine."

He also said the war had been needed to acquire "material assets" to divide among the ruling elite.

MSN

Well, obviously, Putin's explanations for the war were all bullshit, but it is shocking and very entertaining to hear it from Prigozhin.

 

[Donald H]

A little strange to hear that Prigozhin would go that far!

And it will be very interesting to see if America's propagandists will dare to run with it?

Not to discount the possibility that he's been misquoted?

 

[JohnDB]

View attachment 797891

FILE PHOTO: Funeral held in Moscow for Russian military blogger killed in cafe blast© Thomson Reuters
By Andrew Osborn
LONDON (Reuters) - Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Friday that the official Kremlin-backed version of why Moscow invaded Ukraine was based on lies concocted by his perennial adversary - the army's top brass.

Prigozhin has for months been accusing Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov, of rank incompetence, but on Friday he for the first time rejected Russia's core justifications for invading Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year in what it calls a "special military operation".

"... the Defence Ministry is trying to deceive society and the president and tell us a story about how there was crazy aggression from Ukraine and that they were planning to attack us with the whole of NATO," Prigozhin said in a video clip released on Telegram by his press service, calling the official version "a beautiful story".

"The special operation was started for different reasons," he said. "The war was needed ... so that Shoigu could become a marshal ... so that he could get a second 'Hero' [of Russia] medal. The war wasn't needed to demilitarise or denazify Ukraine."

He also said the war had been needed to acquire "material assets" to divide among the ruling elite.

MSN

Well, obviously, Putin's explanations for the war were all bullshit, but it is shocking and very entertaining to hear it from Prigozhin.

Oh he told almost ALL of the dirty little secrets of Putin and Shoigu. Basically exposing what we already knew as to the reason for the war and that the Ukranians shelling Donbass in 2013 was on Russians sent to be Ukrainian dissidents and not on Ukraine natives. The whole excuse to invade to begin with in 2014.

IOW the whole annexation and invasion is based on lies and greed.

 

[toomuchtime_]

A little strange to hear that Prigozhin would go that far!

And it will be very interesting to see if America's propagandists will dare to run with it?

Not to discount the possibility that he's been misquoted?

It will be very interesting to see what Putin does with it. After all, he is indirectly calling Putin either a liar of a fool.

 

[shockedcanadian]

Of course Putin is lying. Let's be honest, this isn't exactly breaking news. It would be akin to someone caling Canada a creepy, unaccountable covert police state, even Asian allies know this fact. Some expressed disgust with Ontario policing and this was many years ago, it's only become worse.

 

[JohnDB]

It will be very interesting to see what Putin does with it. After all, he is indirectly calling Putin either a liar of a fool.

Well in truth he is angling himself to take Putin's job....
It's the same path that Putin himself took. Just from a different starting point.

Granted, Prigozhin has a lot of obstacles to work through and around...but he definitely has the muscle and the hunger to accomplish the task.

Is it really in our best interests Long term?
I don't think so....Russia being run by idiots has been quite helpful in a lot of ways.

 

[Donald H]

Oh he told almost ALL of the dirty little secrets of Putin and Shoigu. Basically exposing what we already knew as to the reason for the war and that the Ukranians shelling Donbass in 2013 was on Russians sent to be Ukrainian dissidents and not on Ukraine natives. The whole excuse to invade to begin with in 2014.

IOW the whole annexation and invasion is based on lies and greed.

I wouldn't doubt that Prigozhin would say that, based on other announcements he's made. Or at least supposedly made.

But I think we'll have to wait to see how this story ages with both side's propagandists?

 

[Magnus]

Wagner Chief Says Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Unjustified​

Russia did not face an imminent security threat to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary outfit, said in a bombshell video posted on social media Friday.

“The Armed Forces of Ukraine were not going to attack Russia with the NATO bloc,” Prigozhin explained in the half-hour tirade released by his press service.

Prigozhin also accused Kremlin-linked oligarchs of seeking to plunder Ukraine’s resources after its military capture and appointment of a puppet regime in Kyiv.

“The task was to divide material assets in Ukraine. There was widespread theft in the [industrial eastern Ukrainian territory of the] Donbas, but they wanted more.”

Some analysts have interpreted Prigozhin’s latest comments as a sign of his growing political ambitions.

Wagner Chief Says Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Unjustified - The Moscow Times

Russia did not face an imminent security threat to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary outfit, said in a bombshell video posted on social media Friday. “The Armed Forces of Ukraine were not going to attack Russia with the NATO...

www.themoscowtimes.com

 

[Esdraelon]

Prigozhin needs to stay away from upper-story windows and other places in tall buildings.

 

[JohnDB]

I wouldn't doubt that Prigozhin would say that, based on other announcements he's made. Or at least supposedly made.

But I think we'll have to wait to see how this story ages with both side's propagandists?

Currently France is more than a little upset with Russian propaganda and is considering it an electronic attack that it wants to reply with force for.

Just saying....that if Russian forces cause a nuclear disaster from the nuclear power plant or let loose with a nuclear attack (even on its own soil) I don't think that Moscow will exist anymore.

 

[Donald H]

It will be very interesting to see what Putin does with it. After all, he is indirectly calling Putin either a liar of a fool.

He's done both before and not indirectly. (whatever that means to you?)

In any case, the question raised couldn't be more important to the war's progress!

We could be on the eve of Russia's big push to end the war?

 

[Donald H]

Prigozhin needs to stay away from upper-story windows and other places in tall buildings.

It seems that Prigozhin has immunity due to him commanding a relevant mercenary force. Otherwise, if the story is true, he would have faced a firing squad before now, because of more than just this.

 

[shockedcanadian]

He's done both before and not indirectly. (whatever that means to you?)

In any case, the question raised couldn't be more important to the war's progress!

We could be on the eve of Russia's big push to end the war?

They've tried the big push already and failed, do you think they expected to engage in small step phases and be nowhere close to victory a year later? It's like Canadas big push for civill liberties in the 1980s when our Charter was born, how did that work out?

 

[Donald H]

Currently France is more than a little upset with Russian propaganda and is considering it an electronic attack that it wants to reply with force for.


I think the question of a US/Ukraine false flag attack on the nuclear plant, is an issue that needs to be raised right now.

Just saying....that if Russian forces cause a nuclear disaster from the nuclear power plant or let loose with a nuclear attack (even on its own soil) I don't think that Moscow will exist anymore.

I don't think that, I know that!

It's called M.A.D.

 

[Donald H]

They've tried the big push already and failed, do you think they expected to engage in small step phases and be nowhere close to victory a year later?

I don't think that's correct. Russia tried a little push when they assumed that it wouldn't be America's attempt to start the long-awaited war against Russia.

Do you always have to bring your personal issues into a discussion?

 

[toomuchtime_]

I think the question of a US/Ukraine false flag attack on the nuclear plant, is an issue that needs to be raised right now.

I agree. Do you know a good psychiatrist to talk to about it or are you looking for recommendations?

 

[shockedcanadian]

I don't think that's correct. Russia tried a little push when they assumed that it wouldn't be America's attempt to start the long-awaited war against Russia.

Do you always have to bring your personal issues into a discussion?

Yes, my personal issues will reman relevant until at such time the powers that be alter course on their apparently illegal (if we are a nation of Due prcess and Rule of Law) abuses and agenda. You should know this as well as anyone.

 

[JohnDB]

I think the question of a US/Ukraine false flag attack on the nuclear plant, is an issue that needs to be raised right now.

Zelenski was announcing Russian attempts at causing the disaster last light....it's not in Ukraine controlled territory....and some of the biggest fights are currently in the neighborhood (<100km away)

Nope....no false flag is possible....just more Russian ecological terrorism.

They have the proof of Russian military destroying the dam....they will have the proof of Russians destroying the Nuke Plant too. The Russians do not have OP-SEC. Never did.

 

[Donald H]

Zelenski was announcing Russian attempts at causing the disaster last light....it's not in Ukraine controlled territory....and some of the biggest fights are currently in the neighborhood (<100km away)

Nope....no false flag is possible....just more Russian ecological terrorism.

They have the proof of Russian military destroying the dam....they will have the proof of Russians destroying the Nuke Plant too. The Russians do not have OP-SEC. Never did.

I don't think Zelensky's threat on Russia attacking and damaging the N. plant can be sold to the Europeans, Europe has probably dodged that bullet for now at least.

 

[Donald H]

I agree. Do you know a good psychiatrist to talk to about it or are you looking for recommendations?

I'm happy to have the question raised.

I think it's been put to bed for now on account of it being a bit hard for Europe to believe that Russia would do it.

On the bombing of the dam, I'm not 100% sure on which side did it?

That's less important than the impression in the minds of the people dirctly involved.

I think that can be said about who will buy this particular story too, by Prigozhin.